Do people actually buy used hard drives on the FS/FT forums?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm thinking about switching to 3x320GB SATA drives and I would want to sell my old IDE drives... but do people actually buy used drives on the FS forums? I don't want to buy the SATA drives and then find out I can't get rid of my IDE ones to help pay for the SATA drives.

EDIT: Not sure what category this post should go into.

 

[Juno]

get money first then buy and sell?

 

[FoBoT]

i have in the past
almost all were fine, had to RMA a couple

don't expect 90% of new price, you gotta keep the price down and they'll move

 

[MX2]

No, no one buys hard drives used

 

[EKKC]

i doubt you can get much money, its better to stick them in an enclosure for backups?

 

[Hacp]

There worthless. Send them to me, i'll pay shipping.

 

[Blazin Trav]

I would eBay them honestly you'd probably make a bit more money.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: MX2times
No, no one buys hard drives used

I just hear a lot of people saying they'll never buy used hard drives because hard drives all eventually die and people complain when HDDs come with one year warranties compared to 3 year. If they buy used, they will be getting a good price, but they're basically getting a hard drive that's closer to death than a new one and with no warranty to speak of.

Bah, 6 x 160GB = 960GB. At the standard new price of $0.25 / GB, that'd be $240. Since mine are used with no warranty, I'd have to go oven lower, say $200?

Or lower?

 

[FoBoT]

price checks are not allowed
i can get a new 160GB IDE from newegg for $54

so i might pay $30 for a used drive, in bulk (not that 6 drives are bulk, unless they are radiator shaped drives), 6 x $25 maybe, i guess i might pay $150 for all of them

you could try for $200 though, i am a cheap@ss

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
price checks are not allowed
i can get a new 160GB IDE from newegg for $54

so i might pay $30 for a used drive, in bulk (not that 6 drives are bulk, unless they are radiator shaped drives), 6 x $25 maybe, i guess i might pay $150 for all of them

you could try for $200 though, i am a cheap@ss

Yeah, I was thinking maybe even $150. I think it's gotten to the point where their use far outweighs their monetary value, so I guess I should just keep them for backups or something.

 

[FoBoT]

you might get $35 or $40 on ebay, i don't know e bay prices, but you could search

 

[Mill]

New ones are too cheap...

 

[Raduque]

I can always use more drives.

 

[mugs]

No way would I buy a used hard drive when a new one is so cheap. Hard drives are mechanical devices, they will eventually fail.

How many drives are there? If you're switching from 6x160 PATA to 3x320 SATA, I really don't see the point... is SATA that much better? Reducing heat is the only reason I'd make that switch.

 

[eplebnista]

I have bought several used hard drives here and have only had one develop problems(WD 60GB). I am currently using a used 120GB Seagate as a storage drive(MP3's and a few video files).

 

[saymyname]

Could you buy them used and then just RMA them to the manufactuer?

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: mugs
No way would I buy a used hard drive when a new one is so cheap. Hard drives are mechanical devices, they will eventually fail.

How many drives are there? If you're switching from 6x160 PATA to 3x320 SATA, I really don't see the point... is SATA that much better? Reducing heat is the only reason I'd make that switch.

It's not that SATA is that much better, but the most immediate benefits for me are:

Cable Clutter: 6xIDE drives with their thick round cables is an utter pain in a small-ish case like mine.
Stability: I've used two different IDE controller cards and they both locked up my system.
Noise: I want to get some quiet SATAs

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: mugs
No way would I buy a used hard drive when a new one is so cheap. Hard drives are mechanical devices, they will eventually fail.

err..just because it's mechanical doesn't mean that failure is always imminent. I wonder how often they have to replace the turbines at the Hoover Dam?

I've bought piles of used hard drives, even a Deathstar. NEVER had one fail. I've pulled drives out of truly ancient machines and they always seem to work fine. Hard drive failure rates really aren't all that high.

 

[saymyname]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: mugs
No way would I buy a used hard drive when a new one is so cheap. Hard drives are mechanical devices, they will eventually fail.

err..just because it's mechanical doesn't mean that failure is always imminent. I wonder how often they have to replace the turbines at the Hoover Dam?

I've bought piles of used hard drives, even a Deathstar. NEVER had one fail. I've pulled drives out of truly ancient machines and they always seem to work fine. Hard drive failure rates really aren't all that high.

I think you're lucky. Especially if your death star didn't fail.

 

[neutralizer]

I tend not to buy used hdds because I don't know what kind of environment they've been exposed to. Besides I replace my hdds just before the warranty runs out. They're cheap anyways, except for my raptor.

 

[Ulfhednar]

Depends on how much porn is on them.

 

[neutralizer]

Originally posted by: Ulfhednar
Depends on how much porn is on them.

How much would you pay for a 160 GB HD filled with it?

 

[FoBoT]

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=45&threadid=1801239&enterthread=y
FS/FT Forum Rules

No Pornographic (XXX) items.

 

[randomlinh]

i'm just going to drop mine on ebay.. i only have 3x120's... they are a huge waste just sitting here.. even if i get $50 total for them, I'll be happy, heh. Actually, I'll be upset about how much they originally cost to get my file server up and running.. heh

 

[RaiderJ]

I've bought all my hard drive off AT. Getting a 300GB today to go with my 4x400GB, another 300GB, and a few 40GB sprinkled in other places.